Favored Soul - Bonus Feats

[TooManyPotatoes]

As a player of a favoured soul for some time, id just like to chip in that changing haste as proposed is definitely a nerf in practice even if it doesnt appear so on paper. Do with that what you will.

Personally i dont think favoured soul needs anything. (As apparently consecrating altars is off the table)

Also, if you do change haste will rebuilds be offered? I believe i took my last fs level at 27 so that would be pretty frustrating to level through yet again.

[Security_Blanket]

I get the feeling that the people that don't play Favored Soul's think that changing Haste is a great idea like that's the only thing keeping them from making one. I only play my Favored Soul and I consider that a nerf, there's no question that it is. People are looking at the energy resist like that is some huge advantage to have, did you make your cleric with the intention of being a tank? Is this the sole intention of the Favored Soul? When is all that energy resist going to be a huge boon and not unnecessary fluff? It's basically just copied and pasted from the sourcebook, except you get no weapon focuses, no wings, and no reason to invest in Wisdom.

The class seems like it was thrown together then not giving any more attention. I have to compare this to other classes that have been added, the Shaman always comes to mind because you guys bothered to consider class synergy when you made that base class. Look at paths available to other base classes that make things that much more fun to tinker with builds. It's such a lackluster class and you can't even let them consecrate an altar. Say what you like about them NOT being clerics, innate knowledge means just that, you can innately know how to consecrate an altar as much as a Sorcerer can innately know how to Brew Potions.

People are focusing on the selling points and completely overlooking all of the drawbacks, which are more obvious to the Favored Soul once you've played it for a while. Your options are severely limited as it is now and sacrificing three feats so that you can extend Aura of Vitality is NOT worth it. You'll realize that once you start balancing all your stuff around just to realize you wasted 3 precious feats on a school with 0 offensive spells all for a quick buff to abilities. This is handy if the whole purpose of your character as tanky as possible, but then of course that is a trade-off. There's no option to trade-off energy resist feats for something that would make them a more dedicated caster.

As it stands, I wouldn't recommend playing a Favored Soul. Not unless you're just interested in the RP of it, otherwise, go Cleric. Domains, the option of going Charisma or Wisdom, or Strength, able to hold sermons it's not even a question anymore. This thread seems to have served its purpose though, the census is that it is fine as is and in fact has another nerf on the way.

[Bunnysmack]

Wait, what's happening to haste exactly...? I've yet to hear about these proposed changes.

[Inordinate]

Wait, what's happening to haste exactly...? I've yet to hear about these proposed changes.

Current plan per class dev is to roll it into 5th level spell to be selected like the rest. Search Discord, several convos about it if you need confirmation.

re: Haste - after deliberation and some big thinkin' I'm comfortable with it, extended Haste eats into Heal/Harm usage but if you're playing bcleric style it just means you can get to more mobs over time faster which means overall less applications of Divine Power/Battletide/Divine Favor.

I wish we could get deity weapon focus/spec but coding that to account for being able to swap deity relatively freely is an understandable nightmare that I get.

[Good Character]

I wish we could get deity weapon focus/spec but coding that to account for being able to swap deity relatively freely is an understandable nightmare that I get.

Interesting idea. Maybe forcing favored souls on character creation to select the deity granting them powers would alleviate that issue. They wouldn't be allowed to switch deities. Give them Weapon Focus and Weapon Spec for free. Weapon Focus at level 2 and Weapon Spec in the epic levels. Could even offer them Epic Weapon Specialization at level 28 or Epic Weapon Focus in the epics to incentivize sticking with the class, because frankly past level 20 there is little reason to keep taking Favored Soul levels. Altogether that would be 2-3 free essential feats while retaining the flavor of the class.

You will naturally have your min-max builds, but the class itself does need more juice and the class itself invites fantastic roleplay.

[Red Ropes]

I think favored soul just needs normal haste & instead of giving them weapon focus in deity weapon just literally give them all weapon proficiencies so you can choose whatever as close as it fits.

Right now? Favored soul is just a fun alternative to a normal battle cleric.

It's still outclassed by a travel/death Battle Cleric and even more outclassed by its deranged, needy cousin the Divine Battle Cleric with said domains.

It's otherwise perfect and is more or less like PnP.

[garrbear758]

I wish we could get deity weapon focus/spec but coding that to account for being able to swap deity relatively freely is an understandable nightmare that I get.

Interesting idea. Maybe forcing favored souls on character creation to select the deity granting them powers would alleviate that issue. They wouldn't be allowed to switch deities. Give them Weapon Focus and Weapon Spec for free. Weapon Focus at level 2 and Weapon Spec in the epic levels. Could even offer them Epic Weapon Specialization at level 28 or Epic Weapon Focus in the epics to incentivize sticking with the class, because frankly past level 20 there is little reason to keep taking Favored Soul levels. Altogether that would be 2-3 free essential feats while retaining the flavor of the class.

You will naturally have your min-max builds, but the class itself does need more juice and the class itself invites fantastic roleplay.

We've discussed this in the past, but we decided against it. Too many people would pick a deity based on their favored weapon, rather than pick their favored weapon based on the deity.

[Security_Blanket]

We've discussed this in the past, but we decided against it. Too many people would pick a deity based on their favored weapon, rather than pick their favored weapon based on the deity.

So instead of giving them that it was decided to give them nothing at all. Even Divine Shield could have had its AC capped for Favored Soul instead of just flat out removing it for them as an option.

[Red_Wharf]

We've discussed this in the past, but we decided against it. Too many people would pick a deity based on their favored weapon, rather than pick their favored weapon based on the deity.

Just like no cleric picks their deity's domains, but instead a combination of travel, war, plant, trickery, or death?

Back to the Haste topic, I would suggest the devs to consider adding it as a sixth level spell. Having played a FS for a while, in my opinion that would be the most comfortable slot to introduce the Haste spell at. Haste as yet another very important fifth level spell is something I don't really like, but I guess I can live with it if it goes live.

[Freyason]

because frankly past level 20 there is little reason to keep taking Favored Soul levels.

I mean other than CL

[Good Character]

because frankly past level 20 there is little reason to keep taking Favored Soul levels.

I mean other than CL

That was the "little reason" I was talking about.

[Security_Blanket]

I would suggest the devs to consider adding it as a sixth level spell. Having played a FS for a while, in my opinion that would be the most comfortable slot to introduce the Haste spell at. Haste as yet another very important fifth level spell is something I don't really like, but I guess I can live with it if it goes live.

I strongly disagree with that, level 6 spells on a Favored Soul have the least amount of wiggle room. Harm, Heal, Greater Sanctuary, and Greater Dispel are all level 6 spells and you have 4 spells to choose from.

[Red_Wharf]

I strongly disagree with that, level 6 spells on a Favored Soul have the least amount of wiggle room. Harm, Heal, Greater Sanctuary, and Greater Dispel are all level 6 spells and you have 4 spells to choose from.

I can count on my third hand the number of times my FS used Greater Dispel, it honestly can go take one for the team. Although thinking better on it, I can imagine this change would piss off a lot of Favored Souls with ESF Abjuration, not that I think there's lots of such Favored Souls around, I doubt it, but you never know.

[Zavandar]

abj is literally the best school for fs

don't need trans (can gear saves just fine without it)

don't need conj (got planar summons and gate is p much as good as edk)

don't need necro (nobody does it's a bad school esp in a save-heavy meta)

don't need evo, ench, illu, or div (why are you a caster fs you could've been a healer cleric)

abj makes you gdispel strong (though it competes w/ heal and harm for casts/day (you're extending your gsanc right?)). also gives access to ad: abj, which is useful in general but especially for a pseudo-bcleric that is reliant on many buffs to have respectable damage

putting haste in the same circle is a tough call. not as clear cut a buff as a lot of people think. not sure what side of the fence i'm on.

EDIT: that was assuming 6th circle. if it's 5th then extended hastes compete with all the above. still hard to say.

[Dreams]

Something that would be great for some diversity for Favoured Souls is adding domains. I'm not talking about abilities, I'm only talking about adding spells to their spellbook based on domains. The same as cleric.

[Security_Blanket]

A path option could be neat too, one that removes the energy resist in place of something else.

[AstralUniverse]

abj is literally the best school for fs

I'm inclined to agree, but I still think transmutation is far from useless.

don't need trans (can gear saves just fine without it)

I agree, but I think trans makes a pretty good school for this class which loses nothing from picking mummydust in epics and has Aura of Vitatlity, to buff everyone and the summons with. it does also makes gearing quite an effortless task with a lot of flexibility. But I do agree with you it is not a must-take.


Haste will be 5th circle, to my understanding. It is a buff. Being fixed on 4 unextenable hastes per rest is just horrible.

[Zavandar]

eeeh having 4 casts of haste outside of your spells isnt bad. like I said it's not as clear cut as people think

[AstralUniverse]

I think haste should be in the spellbook because it's a buff to how the class works. being limited to 4 haste per rest is annoying and makes you default to UMD haste except, I guess, when you are about to start buffing a party (which you know takes more than a minute) and in boss fights or pvp. I absolutely loath this functionality, and if later on its proved that the class needs more spells or spells per day in that circle, then it's a different story and shouldnt be related here imo.

[Security_Blanket]

As the player of a Favored Soul, I have a totally different outlook on that. I hardly use all the 4 castings that I have, so giving up a level 5 known spell then losing 4 spells cast per day really isn't a buff for me. Personally, I also wouldn't sacrifice a casting of Heal, Harm, or Greater Dispel to redundantly extend Haste. I'm thinking part of the issue is no one is looking at this as a caster but a rounds-per-level tank. I for one play my character like a caster in combat, if I'm using my main hand weapon it usually means I'm out of spells.

[Zavandar]

Opinion changed now that there is gear with FS slots. It's a buff. Have to pick 2 between haste, energy buffer, and raise dead. Otherwise it's a buff

[Bunnysmack]

Heh, Shaman and FvS suddenly got better gear support than just about any casting class in the game XD. Considering how long they went with 0 gear support, I'm happy they finally get something nice, even though I'm not currently playing either class.

[AstralUniverse]

Haste in spellbook AND gear with slots? where do I sign..

[Flower Power]

I'm thinking part of the issue is no one is looking at this as a caster but a rounds-per-level tank. I for one play my character like a caster in combat, if I'm using my main hand weapon it usually means I'm out of spells.

The Haste isn't for you. It's for your friendly neighborhood DPS.

Hasting your DPS is the single most powerful and useful thing any spellcaster with Haste can do.

[Bunnysmack]

I'm thinking part of the issue is no one is looking at this as a caster but a rounds-per-level tank. I for one play my character like a caster in combat, if I'm using my main hand weapon it usually means I'm out of spells.

The Haste isn't for you. It's for your friendly neighborhood DPS.

Hasting your DPS is the single most powerful and useful thing any spellcaster with Haste can do.

I'm a PERSON Flower! I'm more than just a hunk of meat haste! Stop looking at my spellbook, my eyes are up here!